Pigeon Key, Florida

Pigeon Key, Florida
Unincorporated area

Partial view of Pigeon Key from the new Seven Mile Bridge. The old bridge crossing the island and exit ramp can be seen.
Coordinates: 24°42′14″N 81°09′19″W / 24.7040°N 81.1553°W / 24.7040; -81.1553Coordinates: 24°42′14″N 81°09′19″W / 24.7040°N 81.1553°W / 24.7040; -81.1553
Country  United States
State  Florida
County  Monroe
Time zone Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)

Pigeon Key is a historic district located on the small island of Pigeon Key in the lower Florida Keys, United States. The island is named "Cayo Paloma" on many old Spanish charts. It is located off the old Seven Mile Bridge, at approximately mile marker 45, west of Knight's Key, (city of Marathon in the middle Florida Keys) and just east of Moser Channel, which is the deepest section of the seven-mile span.

Said to be named for large flocks of white-crowned pigeons (Columba leucocephala Linnaeus) which once roosted there.[1] During the building of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad Key West Extension, a major construction depot was located there, the jumping off point for construction of the Seven Mile Bridge. A number of buildings from the Flagler era remain on the island. They are now part of the Pigeon Key Historic District.

A rare three-way bridge, now partially abandoned, is located there.

References

  1. "Tiny island holds a lot of history". Keynoter Publishing Company Inc. Retrieved January 13, 2013.
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